KND: Of Eyes, Anger, and Curves
by CallMeButLove
Summary: A Saturday at the beach turns into something less enjoyable, and angry words are exchanged. More in the notes inside. Set when all are adults and married. 3/4 and 2/5 are featured. Please leave a review!
1. The Day Begins

Of Eyes, Anger, & Curves

A Codename: Kids Next Door Fan Fiction

By

_~CallMeButLove~_

KND © Mr. Warburton

Chapter 1: "The Day Begins"

It was the fight heard 'round the world...

At least that's what the neighbors would've told you if you'd asked. The 'adorable' newly married couple down the street who were usually so obviously happy, who never seemed complete, one without the other. Those 'sweet kids' who looked utterly lost in each other, who never spent more than a working day's time apart, who held hands in the front yard collecting the paper, who kissed at the end of the driveway each leaning out of their vehicle windows before pulling out for work. The 'innocent girl' turned executive and her tough, 'bad boy' turned doctor husband. They were perfectly serene from the time they'd moved into the house until that one fateful afternoon.

The day had dawned much as a usual Saturday in Cleveland, in the summer. Sunny, hot, bright, birds singing, children in the park screaming and playing joyful summer games. Noisy, busy, and just about perfect. At least it would be as soon as those eyes opened and he could drown himself in them. The eyes of the girl, the woman who made the earth rotate and therefor made the sun and moon alike rise at her command. At least that's what her husband thought. You'd never have needed to ask him, though to find that out. Everything anyone needed to know about the way Wallabee Beatles felt about his wife was plainly there for all observers right in his emerald eyes.

As he lay next to her listening to the sounds of summer outside the window, watching her sleep, he was struck by how radiant she looked. In that moment, maybe it was the June sunshine cascading down over her through the open window treatments, maybe not – she looked spectacular! The soft expanse of her skin as she lay splayed out in peaceful repose, the sheet draped loosely across her waist, leaving her back open to his inspections. The milky smoothness of her body was overwhelming and he longed to reach out, to run a hand over this immeasurable beauty that was his. This precious combination of sweetness and fire, innocence and desire, precociousness and passion that dwelt in this one lovely woman. He lovingly chose to grant her the sleep she required rather than to wake her with his touch. He could wait for her to awaken naturally and he truly did enjoy watching her, so that would have to suffice until she did rejoin the waking world again.

His gaze scanned more of her, the honey tone that glowed on her arms, legs, face, on any part of her that had been kissed by the sun so far this season. That turn of phrase suddenly made him inexplicably jealous and he chuckled under his breath at his own folly to be jealous of the sun's light for it's effect on her skin. This low rumble caused his soul's idol to stir and turn in her slumber. She reached out toward him in her unconscious state and he snuggled her close. Reveling now in the engrossing task of plucking the strands of shining obsidian hair from her face. He moved them so carefully, so gently, studying each glossy thread as he removed the screen they created from her exquisitely formed features.

There again his focus halted, riveted, frozen and locked as though compelled. Nothing could compare to waking up like this and it still amazed him after more than two years. The study of Kuki Beatles' physical form had been her husband's personal crusade and he launched another expedition this morning memorizing the curve of her cheeks, slightly flushed in sleep. Capturing the tiny up-turn to her delicately pointy nose, he noted a tiny freckle or two that had not been present at his last perusal and silently avowed to insist she wear more sunblock lest the freckles turn more insidious later in her life. He longed to conquer her cherry tinted mouth next, but she snoozed on, and he grinned at the way those lips parted, child-like as she drew little puffs of air in past them.

Her bright eyes would open soon, he could hear the beginnings of awareness in her respiration. The rhythm had shifted and he readied himself. Just as the fans of onyx lashes fluttered upward and the indigo pools brightened with recognition he pounced. He kissed his reason for being born with more passion and longing than one night's sleep should have inspired, but this was the changed she had effected in him. He could be clinical and detached working at the hospital, he could shut down in the ring at his gym, he could never do it when her eyes met his. When that happened, there was no concealing his feelings or the immense depth of them. He'd finally stopped trying to hide how much he needed her when they were in college. There was no point in denying the truth any longer than that, it was as plain as if spelled out in the sky with letters of flame. Wally could never, ever live without Kuki in his life, any more than he could have lived without air in his lungs.

"Good morning, Wally", she panted slightly glowing up at him.

"Mornin' Kooks", was the reply murmured low in his throat that made her eyes close, her insides melt, and her heart flutter all at the same time.

She still couldn't believe how little it took for him to bring her to her wits end. Pulling him down to her with willowy fingers woven into his golden locks, she made an effort to return the favor. The morning was feeling bright indeed, until the sound of the door-bell shattered the dreamy haze.

"Oh no!"

She suddenly pulled back from him and exclaimed, throwing the sheet aside and bounding over to where her robe was casually draped over a chair. It quickly masked her beauty from his sight and he pouted at her beckoning her to return to his arms so they could continue with the pleasant activity that her movement had interrupted.

"Wally, don't you remember?", she looked at his boyish image arms outstretched and she couldn't hold out against the pull of his eyes. She slid back into his embrace, but continued speaking to prevent him from completely distracting her with his kisses.

"You have to go get the door, Wally. We shouldn't just leave them standing out there, it's hot", he looked confused and more than a little determined to stay right where he was. Kuki placed a small and gentle hand on his bare chest, pressed herself up again, then stood to begin to dress. He watched her for another second before asking a question.

"Who is it you think is at the door now, Kooks?"

"Abby and Hoagie, silly. We promised them that we'd go to the beach with them today, remember?", she giggled as recognition dawned in his expression and he bolted down the hall to see his friends waiting at the door.

Fortunately for him, Wally's wife called out to him before he could get there and she asked with an amused smile what Hoagie would think of the Rainbow Monkey boxers that were currently his only apparel. The horrified shriek that escaped his mouth as he looked down and acknowledged the dreadfully girly birthday present she'd gotten him and pouted until he'd agreed to wear, made her laugh harder than ever. He quickly threw open the bedroom window and called down to the visiting couple that he'd be right there and tore on a pair of dark blue track pants with an orange side stripe down each leg. He playfully growled at his still chuckling wife as she tried to regain composure and started to dress herself.

As he left the bedroom once more, she called out to him again saying that everything they needed for the beach was already packed and in the large tote bag by front the door. He grunted an unintelligible reply and bounced down the stairs yanking the front door open with a grin from ear to ear at seeing his friends. They'd all been so busy lately that it had been quite a while since their last time spent together. Abby and Hoagie Gilligan had been married just under a year longer than Kuki and Wally had been. They were the oddest combination on the outside, and people who did not know them would sometimes question what it was that brought them together. Wally however, knew that the two complimented one another perfectly, point and counter point. They understood each other and related on a level beyond what others could perceive. They too, had found a life-long love.

Their mutual friend, the boisterous Australian whooped and hugged them both as he invited them into the house and Abby smiled with quiet pleasure as her husband and his long-time best buddy began to get caught up. She moved into the living room and took a seat in a comfy chair watching them as the two men moved into the room still babbling on about something she knew nothing of. She was still quietly observing them when the slight rustle of soft fabric caught her ear and she turned over her shoulder to see her Asian friend float effortlessly down the stairs in a diaphanous lavender-green, iridescent beach cover-up over her soft lilac two-piece. The ensemble was accented by a wide-brimmed, floppy, pale-mint colored hat and glittery soft green flip-flop sandals from which showed ten little toes with matching polish on their nails. The glowing Japanese woman looked more striking than Abby had ever seen her and she rose from her seat to hug her friend in the foyer before she could reach the living room.

"Girl you look amazing!", Abby enthused as she was released from Kuki's powerful hug.

"Thanks Abby, you look great too!", Kuki replied with genuine warmth. "I just have to get the cooler out of the fridge, it's all packed and then we can go", she turned and shouted as she walked to the kitchen; "That is if my husband will get his butt upstairs and change sometime today!"

"All right, all right already I'm goin'!", Wally answered with a mock grumble in his voice. He mounted the stairs two at a time and sped to their bedroom where Kuki had laid his favorite trunks on the bed for him as well as his sunglasses and blue beach-ready thong sandals. He smiled at the way she took care of him, and closed the door to quickly freshen up, shave and change clothes. This was going to be a fun-filled day! He could hardly wait to leave and spend time just enjoying seeing his closest friends.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

**Don't worry the title will make more sense when the rest of this is up, probably two or three more chapters... **

**I don't exactly consider this a follow up to my story True Love, but it might reasonably be seen to be sort of connected since that was the honeymoon and here they are married and settled...**

**I imagine them to be about 26 years old or so in this, putting Wally about a year into his residency at the hospital where Abby's father worked/works if my math is right...**

**In my head they all went to college together in Cleveland, then Wally went to Harvard for Med School and Kuki moved 'back east' to be close to him during that, they got married while he was in his last year there, finally came home to Cleveland together, and bought a house where this story is set. Just thought you might need background for some reason. I don't think I'm really going to cover what Hoagie and Abby have been up to, I'll leave that to your imaginations...**

**Please review, review, review! ****:D ****You know how I am by now about needing feedback...  
**


	2. At the Beach

Chapter 2: "At the Beach"

Wally was right, this was a great day. The bluest sky they'd seen since any of the friends could remember was utterly cloudless and splendid. The green of the water as deep and clear as they'd ever witnessed and Kuki thought it looked almost as inviting as Wally's eyes. The sand was hot, but soft beneath their feet, and the ocean waves were washing in just steadily enough to make the atmosphere calming, without being so still as to bode a coming storm – perfect for swimming too. Kuki jumped out of Wally's car with unsuppressed glee, and he chuckled at her girlish demeanor. Hoagie and Abby had elected to ride in the back seat of the convertible their friend had recently acquired, agreeing with him that today was a perfect day to ride with the top down. Abby had to hold her hat, but she enjoyed the feeling of the air rushing by. No one enjoyed that more than Hoagie, though. Somehow, the sensation made him think of flying in an open cockpit, despite having no concrete memory of doing so before. He felt as though this is exactly what it would be like, only off the ground which of course would be the best part.

Abby helped Kuki pick out the perfect spot to spread the two couples' beach blankets and the guys set up the umbrellas to block the severest of the sun's rays from them as the gals set up the refreshments, lounge chairs, and towels. Abby connected her ever-faithful iPod to the portable speakers that would enable everyone to listen as they lounged. She pulled out her latest book, settled in her lounger and peacefully began to read as the ocean made sweet complimentary music to the bustle of the beach-going crowd, just far enough away. Hoagie smiled down at his cool headed wife and leaned down over her book to place a soft kiss on her head. Of course, to manage that he had to dare to remove her favorite red hat from its perch. That could be deadly business, he knew, but sometimes a Gilligan just had to show his lady some love. At first she looked up at him with some annoyance because he'd touched the hat. It was after all the hat that he'd bought her to replace the one she'd worn since he'd met her in middle school. That one had begun to disintegrate and she'd finally placed it on a shelf in their room so no more wear could damage it. Even Abby herself could not explain her connection to that hat. It was just always there, like Hoagie. He seemed to her to have been always in her heart, even on the day they'd met at Hendry. She tilted her head up to meet his lips when she saw the tell-tale glimmer in his eyes and grinned at his blush, the one he always got when she kissed him even after all this time.

Wally was busy chasing his energetic spouse down with sunblock, remembering the freckles he'd seen that morning. She laughed, a musical tinkling sound like crystal bells and ran from his grasp playfully splashing her way into the water. She dared him to pursue her into the cool, green depths with her sparkling violet orbs focused his way. She knew he still was not too fond of water and she didn't think he'd follow. She was wrong. Wally waded right in after her and before she could escape he scooped her up in his arms and flopped backwards into the shallow, slightly sandy liquid still holding her tightly. They both sat up sputtering and roaring with laughter and Wally shook the hair from his eyes just in time to see his wife lean in and press her mouth to his hungrily. His arm snaked around her bare middle, growling in thanks at her choice of a two piece suit, he smiled at the trembling he could feel in her limbs knowing it had nothing whatever to do with the water's temperature. This while his other hand grappled her sweet mouth to his, fingers tugging the wet inky tendrils of her long locks gently, but with enough force to make her whimper. After the kiss broke, several minutes later, he lifted her to her feet again and clasped her hand as they walked back to the blanket so he could satisfy his protective streak and add more SPF to every exposed inch of her. He was content at last and he sat down on the blanket to begin rummaging through the picnic basket and the cooler for a snack.

Soon enough the boys were off to play a game of Frisbee and have a swim leaving the girls to tan and relax on the blankets together. The blazing intensity of the afternoon sun was too much for them, so they left the umbrellas open and enjoyed a little girl talk in the shade.

"So Kuki, you gonna tell Abby what's got you lookin' so happy or what?", the darker skinned woman queried her best female friend (Hoagie was her _best_ friend and she'd never have it any other way).

"I am happy Num- I mean Abby. I don't know why I do that when I talk to you. I sometimes do it to Wally too, I just don't know why or what it is that I'm about to call you. It's like it's gone, before I can quite remember it all the way", she looked away a moment confused then turned back to face her friend, who just smiled.

"Abby understands, baby. Hoagie and me, we do the same thing. Sometimes when I look at the moon, it seems like somethin' there is callin' to me. Hoagie says he feels like he has flown for years already, even though he just finished flight school and got his pilot's license", she too looked wistful for a second and then a commotion from the near-by beach-goers got her attention.

There was a game of volleyball going on and she could see both Wally and Hoagie on one side of the net with two women completing their team and four other people opposing them. She nodded in the direction of the game and Kuki's joyful eyes traced her gaze and she jumped up shouting that they should go cheer their athlete husbands on. Abby smirked at the thought of Hoagie as an athlete, but she secretly hoped he was holding his own with Wally. He just didn't enjoy sports much, so she was sure he was only playing to make his friend happy.

At first when the ladies arrived on the scene, they were happy and proud to cheer as their men seemed to be winning. Then Kuki noticed something and her cheers died on her lips. The girl closest to Wally on his team was flirting with him and he looked very much like he was enjoying it. He grinned and blushed at her attentions, and even began showing off to impress her. Was this the way he acted all the time? Kuki was shocked, hurt, and getting more furious by the second. It was clear to everyone that the girl was interested in him, and he was doing nothing to stop it. Abby looked on too, as her friend seethed at her side. She was concerned for Kuki, naturally, but her eyes narrowed as she perceived her own spouse behaving in much the same way. He was trying to impress the woman too! Then she took a detached look around at all the closest males. Every one of them seemed transfixed by this one female. She was beautiful, Abby'd be a liar to say she wasn't. Shining long golden hair, flawless tanned complexion, face like a cover girl, eyes so blue they seemed to glow and to top it off the woman had figure that would make any man weak. Curves that just _wouldn't_ quit. She knew it too, Abby could tell.

Wally's eyes seemed to magnetically follow where ever the blond went, no mater how she moved he tracked her. Kuki felt as though the air was being sucked from her lungs, but she refused to budge. She had to see the end of this game. As the sun's light dipped lower and the game neared it's finish, with the Beatles/Gilligan team sealing the fate of the opposition, one final blow struck Kuki right to the heart. Wally's wedding ring was missing! He had taken it off. That was the last straw, she couldn't take anymore and burst into hysterical tears on the sidelines, causing everyone to turn her way. Wally had just lobbed the ball to make the winning point when the sound of his wife's tears reached him and he sprinted to her side, his heart in his throat, to see what on earth the trouble was. The doomed man never knew what hit him.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Gee, for someone who really doesn't like to interrupt the story's impact with these things, I am getting into quite a habit of talking to you all a lot...**

**I just thought I'd say, for the sake of my fellow Wally fans, that we are now entering the danger zone. He will come out alive I promise you that. As to what I do (or allow Kuki to do) to him in the meantime, well that's for the coming chapters to reveal..**

**Just to keep you going, I present a little glimpse into the future, a PREVIEW - Chapter 3: "Round One":  
**

***SMACK!*** The hot sting of impact whipped Wally's head to the side as his wife's hand left a flaming print on his cheek.


	3. Round One

Chapter 3: "Round One"

***SMACK!*** The hot sting of impact whipped Wally's head to the side as his wife's hand left a flaming print on his cheek.

"Ow! What the crud was that for, Kooks?", he pressed his palm to the bright red patch for a second, then regretted it because his hands were hot and sandy from the game and that intensified the stinging. Kuki did not reply, she was too busy sobbing as Abby tried to console her. Wally didn't know what to do so he tried once more to comfort her. He reached out and attempted to pull her into a hug – big mistake. Big. Kuki raged and screamed a growling animal-like sound, and sprang to her feet. She turned to storm away when the blond bounced up behind Wally and cooed at him.

"Who are these people Wally? I was just gonna invite you to come over to our bonfire, you see we – "

"Girl, ya better get ta steppin'. That right there", she indicated Kuki who stood fuming with her back to them, "is Wally's WIFE! Now you've caused enough trouble already here, so get", Abby glared as the interloper registered shock, and then dared to look incredulously at Kuki before turning to bounce back to her little crowd of friends with a giggle and a wave to Hoagie which earned him a swat from Abby's hat.

"Yeow!"

"Hoagie P. Gilligan, Jr. don't even start! Unless you want to be in the same doghouse as the Australian genius over there", she gestured toward where Wally could be seen chasing after a furious Kuki as she marched away from him with tears streaming down her angry face.

"Come on, Kooks! I just wanna talk to ya', what's so wrong in that?" He received a shriek of fury in reply, but his wife was still walking in the opposite direction. When he didn't stop pleading or following, she finally slowed her pace, spun to face him, and rounded on him savagely.

"Arrrrgh! I have no intention of talking to you about this! Not after what I saw today, you just don't get it do you? Just go home! I'll get a ride with Abby and Hoagie and stay with them tonight, because there's no way in hell I'm going anywhere with _you_!"

He had never seen her so angry before. If it had been humanly possible he would have sworn that she had eyes of flame, and fangs for teeth. Gone was the sweet gentle woman he loved. There was this creature standing before him now, who was made of nothing but heat, ire, and vengeance. He was loathe to point out the obvious, for fear she'd actually kill him, but at least if she was screaming at him he had her attention and could _try_ to make things right. That is as soon as he could figure out what in the world he'd done wrong. He did know it had something to do with the girl from the volleyball game, what was her name? It didn't matter. He knew by Abby's cold reception of her when the blond had approached that somehow she was in this too. For the life of him he couldn't see how...

"Uh, Kooks?", he tried very softly while reaching out to try and touch her gently. "We only have one car – mine. Hoagie and Abby are riding with us remember?"

"Fine! Then you can all go, I'll... I'll call a cab!", she stood still shaking with sobs, but she had planted her feet now in defiance and her eyes held a challenge to him to contradict her.

He didn't have to though, because just at that moment the Gilligan Family approached and Abby stepped to Kuki's side wrapping a friendly arm around her. She deftly soothed Kuki's tears down to little hiccups before speaking to the rightfully irrational Asian woman for the group.

"Now Kuki, Abby knows how you feel, but refusin' to go home won't solve anything", on Kuki's petulant look she added, "And besides, no one says you have to talk to him", she pointed in Wally's direction while he looked like a dog who'd been kicked.

When Kuki still would not budge, Abby tried a new tack. "OK then, how 'bout this? We go home together in Wally's car like we planned, but you sit in the back seat with Abby and Hoagie can sit up front with Mr. Wanderin' Eyes here. You don't even have to look at him if you don't want to", she coaxed gently and Kuki finally nodded once before striding forward up to Wally and summarily shoving him straight backwards into the sand with both hands. The primal rage was back and she growled menacingly at him as she passed.

He had not had time to brace himself, and he landed hard right on top of a conch shell. He yelped in pain and for a second Kuki stilled as though wanting to turn back, but then she set her shoulders and kept going. Kuki stormed straight to the car leaving the others to collect the beach things, and Wally decided to follow her in spite of all of Abby's warnings not to. He was getting a little angry himself... How was he supposed to fix this, if she wouldn't even tell him what he'd done? Well he'd just find that out right now, and she wasn't gonna wiggle out of it this time. He stomped up to his car intent on pressing Kuki for answers, but the image before him stopped him cold. The woman he loved most in the world, was sitting in the car, top still down, and she was completely distraught. The tears were steady, large and shimmering in the early evening light. Her sobs were loud, deep, and filled with the kind of grief only usually heard at funerals. She was crying as though something had died. Maybe it had. Maybe he'd killed their life together without even knowing how. The thought was enough to rally him slightly and he stepped up to the car door between them and addressed her. He resisted touching her since she shied away before.

"Kooks, please. Tell me what's wrong. I don't know how to apologize unless I know what I did, and I don't know. Please Kuki?", she looked at him with ice in her eyes as though he were a stranger who'd asked his question in a language she'd never heard. Her reply, when it finally came sounded utterly broken.

"Where's your ring Wally?", was all she said before turning from him and staunchly refusing to utter another syllable the whole ride home. Not to him, not to Hoagie, not even to Abby.

When the car did pull in to the Beatles driveway, Kuki finally spoke, and when she did it was so quietly that Wally almost missed it. The whispered words were dipping with anguish, and it hurt him to hear the sound. Even though the whole thing made little sense to him, he still _never_ wanted to be the reason Kuki sounded the way she did now.

"How could you? How could you look at her _like that_? I saw you, how could you look at another woman _like that_?"she started to cry again, and Abby rubbed her back.

"That's what this is about? That cruddy girl who played volleyball with us? Kuki you can't be serious, every guy on the beach was lookin' at her. Did you see her? I mean girls like that, well girls that look like that _want_ guys to look at them!" he seemed to think this proclamation should explain everything, but Kuki only wailed more.

"That part's true, ya know girl. Abby was there, every guy on that beach was lookin' at that – that girl", she paused, but Kuki thought she'd finished and had taken sides with Wally.

"I thought you'd be on my side! Abby, you of all people should understand! I thought you were my friend!"

"Now wait a minute, I am your friend. And besides that, Abby never said she was takin' anybody's side on this. Y'all gotta figure it out for yourselves. All Abby's sayin' is, is that the girl was tryin' to get Wally's attention. That part of what he said was true", she opened her door and stepped out. As she did, she whispered to Kuki that she should go inside and work this out. As she did so her husband took his life into his hands and spoke.

"Yeah, Kuki it's not like Wally was the only one! Every guy on the beach was – I mean, uh um, ahem...", he stopped short when his wife's glare pinned him to the nearest wall.

"You say another word, Gilligan and see what'cha get!", she turned and walked to their car and got into it on the passenger side.

Wally got out of the car before Abby walked away, grunted a goodbye to both his friends, and made his way sullenly into the house. Hoagie followed him a few steps and offered a word or two of encouragement. He hugged Kuki goodbye as she too finally exited the vehicle and reminded her earnestly that Wally loved her more than anything. Then he walked to his own car and got in next to his wife. He breathed a sigh of relief that she was not so high-strung as Kuki, but his mistake was in voicing his feelings.

"Wow! Wally is so busted, I mean he's totally not gonna live this down for like a million years! I can't believe Kuki go that upset over that girl. I mean really, who wouldn't look at her with a body like that? That girl's curves would cause a train wreck! She can't expect Wally to act like he's dead – ", he was cut off abruptly by his wife slamming her fist down on the dashboard.

"That's it! You just talked yourself into some real trouble mister! Abby cannot believe you would think it was just _lookin'_ at that girl that got Wally in hot water! He didn't _just_ look Hoags, he flirted, he showed off, he did everything he could to get her to pay attention to him and when she did he never told her he was married. The worst part is that he took off his wedding ring!", Hoagie looked at her confused, and she continued fuming, "Oh! You are impossible, Abby's just gonna hafta teach you a lesson. Until you learn it, you can sleep on the couch, baby!" She crossed her arms in front of her and Hoagie knew that she had ended the discussion for good.

He groaned and then his eyes flickered with a new light as he thought of ways he could try and soften his beautiful wife up. The ideas were piling up in his head and by the time they reached their house he was ready to try one. He grinned wickedly and turning off the engine, he waited.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Well, I don't think this turned out quite as good as I'd wanted. I hope you all can forgive my failing and enjoy it anyway...**

**The next chapter should be better, all I will say is the fight will take a new direction in Round Two...**

**As always, please tell me what you think. I am sure by bow you know what the button down there is for...**


	4. Round Two

Chapter 4: "Round Two"

Kuki trudged into the house with absolute dread. The last thing she was prepared to do was to try and explain to her husband what was bothering her about the day's events. She felt rather righteously that he should already know. After all a blind person would be able to see exactly where the trouble started. How could Wally have known her since middle school, and still not realize what was bothering her? Every step she took toward her front door, the door that just this morning had held the happiest home she could imagine behind it, now filled her heart with an indescribable ache. The image of the love of her life ogling and flirting with another woman came rushing back to her and she suddenly felt very sick – actually physically ill.

Kuki sprinted into the house and darted quickly into the small hallway powder room below the stairs. As she finished retching, cleaned her face with a damp length of tissue, flushed, and stood up again on shaky legs. She got a quick sip of water and rinsed her mouth. Not enough. She rummaged under the sink until she found the extra bottle of mouthwash stashed there and swished some to rid herself of the traces of the nausea. Only after she'd turned the running water off did she begin to notice the sounds from within the rest of the house. They filled her with alarm. ***Bang!* *Crash!* *Smash!* **The closer she got to the sounds the more upset she became. What if Wally was hurt? What if someone was in the house after them? What she saw as she timidly pushed the door open was not an intruder, not some villain come to attack, but Wally. He had apparently decided to do some redecorating when he'd come back in from the car. He stood amid shattered objects and looked up with dull eyes as she moved into the room. That's when Kuki noted that everything that had been broken belonged to him. Her things had gone unscathed as did the framed 8x10 wedding photo he clutched in his trembling hand. She thought she saw a tear splash onto it's glass enclosure, but could not be completely sure.

For a split second she wanted nothing more than to comfort him, to reach out and ease his obvious pain. He had clearly been raging at himself for the last few minutes, but then that bouncing blond voice came sing-song back to her head forcing all pity for Wally out of it. She looked again at the mess and spoke with Arctic chill in her tone.

"You having a little pity party, Wally? I hope you don't expect me to clean this up for you", she started to leave the room when she felt his eyes on her and froze. Something in the weight of the stare told her not to move, that if she did it would be the end. That's really not what she wanted, not if he was honest with herself. She was hurt yes, but she still didn't want to lose him.

"I want you to tell me what the crud it is that you think I did?", he yelled.

That was all it took, the dam broke, the floodgates flew wide, the walls of resistance crumbled to dust, and she launched a tirade that went on for what felt like years. It was spectacular, her fury made her look lit from within, and her hurt made him feel the air being sucked from his chest and his heart being crushed with the intensity of her disappointment.

"You really want to know? Fine, then you asked for it! You looked at that girl, that cheap looking, man hungry, husband stealing girl, _like you wanted her_! You looked at her and followed every move she made with that perfect curvy body of hers. You laughed at her jokes, you blushed when she 'accidentally' bumped into you with those, those – Arrgh!", she stopped panting and looked at him.

"Go on, I know you're not done yet", he stood facing her with a clam expression. He was holding his retorts back to let her get this out of her system.

"You let her think that it was OK to flirt with you! You never once told her about me, or that we're married! You played up to her and I saw you showing off to impress her. Don't even try to say you didn't see me walk up to the game, you did. And you never even tried to get her off you. You never even tried to tell her that you aren't available! Or are you available and I just didn't know it? Is that what you do with the nurses and interns at the hospital too, just don't tell them that you're taken, so then you can have all the fun, get all the attention? Has it gone farther than that Wally? Has it?", she was reaching now and she knew it. He'd never actually cheat, even she was convinced of that much.

He had heard enough when she accused him of cheating. He'd never, ever choose to be with someone else. Even the thought that she could think that of him made him so angry he couldn't see clearly. Red danced around his vision, and he picked up the nearest object, a vase, and hurled it to the wall above the fireplace. The shards of crystal rained down on him, but they made no marks and they did not touch her from where she still stood.

"You _know _cruddy well that I have never, will never, could never be with anyone but you, Kuki", he said this with a deadly quiet that was more frightening than his raised voice could be. "I love you. No matter how jealous, or irrational you get, no matter what. _**I love you. Just you.**_ No other girl could mean anything to me. I chose you when I met you, before that even. I don't know when, just forever I guess", he stopped and looked with agony at the tears pouring from her eyes.

When she didn't answer he took a breath and continued. "I should have said something to her, I know that. I knew what she was after and I didn't stop it. I was stupid, and flattered, and thoughtless, and I'm sorry!", she scoffed and he saw a flash of red again.

Didn't he just apologize? Didn't he just admit that he'd been wrong to act the way he did? She was mocking him, and it was too much. We'll see what she says to this!

"OK fine, laugh if you want Kuki! But I'd like to know one thing. Exactly what would you have done if I had told that girl to go jump in the ocean? Huh? You know as well as I do that she would've kept right on. She flirted with Hoagie, and he _did_ tell her about Abby. She didn't care, she - ", she was suddenly standing right in front of him, and he halted flustered mightily.

Right in front of him with no space between them at all, her whole body was pressed to his tightly as if they'd been fused into one. He couldn't speak, he couldn't think, he could barely breathe she was so close. He didn't dare to move, or touch her for fear she'd get even more angry, so he stood stock still and looked down at her waiting to see what would come next.

"You wanna know what I would've done?", she spat the words low, but somehow her tone held a trace of something more than anger. Something that in that moment he couldn't think coherently enough to place.

"If you had told that little Barbie, Baywatch wannabe tramp that you were happily married while I was standing there, I would have done this!", she abruptly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was not a kiss that he'd experienced from her before. Sure she was passionate whenever they were alone, but this – this was entirely new territory.

Never in all the time that they'd been together had Kuki ever kissed her husband, her lover, her _life,_ like this before. There were explosions going off behind his eyes from the feel of her mouth on his. The raw desire and territorial hunger with which she claimed him was overwhelming. She didn't allow him any time to really respond, she just kept his head locked in place while deepening the kiss to impossible levels. Her fingers dug into the back of his scalp, so deep he was sure they'd draw blood and his heart felt like it would burst at the sensation of her hot, soft lips ravaging him and soothing him at the same time. She would drink him in, devour him completely, he was sure of it and nothing on earth sounded more inviting a prospect.

To be utterly consumed by the fire of this woman's love for him was a fate he never would wish to avoid; 'Come death and welcome, For [Kuki] wills it so!' He felt as though all reality had been altered and there would never be anything in the universe but her again. Every move of her mouth made sanity just that much more elusive, every caressing brush of her skin against his made thought that much more insurmountable. She knew exactly what to do to him, how to render him totally and completely helpless with just her mouth. Just as he gained enough strength back in his limbs to lift his arms to close them around her she shoved him back again roughly.

Her voice was ravaged with remaining wrath, and she shook him out of his haze with the venom in her words. "There. That's what I would've done! Then everyone on the beach would have taken one look at your face, and known exactly who you wanted. Who you love, who you belong to. But you just let her go on with her scheme, you just ignored me and went on about your precious game_ with her_. **You took off your wedding ring!**"

She screamed the last phrase, and startled him. Before he could reply, she took one more shot. "You promised to never take that ring off Wally! You did it anyway, just erased me from your life, just pretended that I didn't exist, just slip the ring off and you're free, well I - ", it was Kuki's turn to be shocked this time because Wally had reached the edge of his envelope of patience. He turned the tables on her and appeared suddenly right in her space as she'd done to him before.

He'd strode forward during her speech and was now holding her tightly around the wrists. Not harshly, but with no intention of releasing her, he backed her up slowly with her arms above her head until she collided with the opposite wall. He clasped both her small wrists in his big right hand and brought the other around behind her head just as she made contact with the wood paneled surface at her back. He placed his left hand up just in time to cushion her head from the impact with the oak that might have injured it. When that impact happened she saw something like pain flash across his face, but he was kissing her so fiercely, so suddenly that she didn't have time to figure out what the cause of the expression was. He poured every imaginable feeling, and thought, and apology into this kiss, paying her back for the one she'd given him. The tiny whimpering moans that met his ears as he explored every inch of her mouth with his told him that she was his. Still his. He dropped his head to her neck and growled when she squirmed in enjoyment at his actions. He had made it to her shoulder, working his way down when her voice drifted to his consciousness again, breathing his name and he lifted his head back up to capture her mouth once more before releasing his grip on her arms and stepping back.

There was some satisfaction visible on his face as he gazed at her standing with her lips parted slightly, panting a little for breath, and white-knuckling the ridge in the paneling behind her to maintain her footing. He knew he'd given her just as gratifying a show after she'd kissed him, but that didn't matter. He could tell by her eyes, dark and clouded over with desire that he'd gotten his message through. No one could ever usurp her as the empress of his heart – not now, not ever, curves or not. She spoke softly and stepped toward him this time with her arms sliding around his waist and her head falling to his chest.

"Why did you take it off, Wally? Why would you ever take it off when you feel like that? That hurt more than anything else", she was crying again and he kissed the top of her head before moving her back by the shoulders so he could look into the violet orbs he loved so much.

"Kooks, will ya look?", he held up his left hand for her inspection and when he did she rapidly understood the flash of pain she'd seen on his face before when his hand had protected her head from hitting the hard wall.

"Wally! What did you do to your hand?" She shrieked and grabbed it lovingly, and was horrified to see a swollen purple-ish black bruise on the back of it, all under the last three fingers.

When she turned it over to look at the palm side, she found a terribly inflamed little gash there almost all the way around the third finger, and blood clotted with beach sand embedded in it. With a rush of clarity she realized! The ring! The ring must have somehow dug into his hand and forced him to remove it. As if Wally could read her mind, he reached down with his right hand and unzipped the tiny pocket in his trunks. It was zippered to prevent the wearer from losing their belongings while swimming. The ring had been safely stowed all this time. He grinned sheepishly at her and explained.

"I was just starting the volleyball game, when the guy on the other team spiked the ball really hard, and I had to dive to get under it. He really hammered it at me and when it hit my hand the ring, well it just cut right into my hand. I didn't want to lose it, so I put it here", he pointed to the pocket.

Kuki looked and saw the traces of his blood dried on the platinum band. He hadn't been in the water since before the game, so it was all still there. She had never felt so guilty in her life. Here she'd thought he'd been trying to hide their marriage, when it was really an injury that had driven him to remove the band.

"I probably should've quit playing, 'cause the sand isn't really doing the cut any good, but I really wanted to beat that guy, so I kept going. It was no excuse to flirt, Kooks – I am so sorry", he looked into her eyes with such sincerity that she felt her knees buckle.

He wrapped his arms around her instantly and held her up, wincing again when his sore hand made contact with her clothing. She felt dizzy from the torrent of emotions that day had held, but shook it off and quickly ushered him out of the room, upstairs to their bathroom so she could clean the cut. He followed her gladly hoping to pick up where the kiss had left off once she was done patching him up. She was secretly hoping for the same thing, and pulled him along with something akin to glee. Her world was restored to it's axis once more. Her husband was still hers, he loved her and had not betrayed her as she'd thought. She was happily going to show him just how much she loved him back. First things first though, to prevent infection in the already very inflamed, neglected wound.

"Come on Wally, let's get that hand cleaned up. Oh, I and I don't want to hear any whining about the peroxide either. You should have cleaned it sooner", he groaned and she giggled.

"As long as you kiss it and make it better once you're done, Nurse Beatles, I guess I can be brave", he hit her with his best pout and she leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"That's not all I'm gonna do, Mr. Beatles. Not by a long shot", she took off up the stairs and he followed as fast as he could go, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Sorry this took a little longer than I thought. It also turned out longer and better than the last one (I think)...**

**Please forgive me for moving Abby and Hoagie to the last chapter, but I just couldn't keep going after Kuki's last line. Besides the next chapter will be the last, so it won't be too long a wait. I figure by the end of next weekend if not sooner...**

**Don't forget to review, you know you wanna...  
**


	5. Talk of Curves & Making Up

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**WOW, Have I been having a rough time with this one! I am finally just going to go ahead and post what was the original ending to this story back when I started it. All the delay you've had to endure has been because I tried to change the story in the middle of things, and I just couldn't get inspired this time. Often changes happen spontaneously to my writing, but I have now confirmed that I CANNOT stonewall the muse. She will have her way no matter what!**

**Anyway, as I said I tried to change things in mid-process, so part of that change was that I tacked on some of what was to be in this chapter onto the end of the last one to make room for new material, which is not going to appear after all. The result is that this chapter is extremely short. I will probably re-post the whole thing soon with the original chapter divisions in place, but for now I don't want to make you wait anymore.**

**I did start the new section, and it MIGHT turn into a companion piece/follow-up if I can ever get my muse to cooperate. MAYBE. As one good friend knows, this was meant all along to be a portrayal of a fight and it's resolution. There is a twist, so without any further ado I give you...**

* * *

Chapter 5: "Talk of Curves and Making Up"

Hours had passed and the moon's gentle radiance poured into the room creating glowing patches and opalescent pools on the tan skin of his chest, little puddles of moonlight collected in the sheets. Kuki was absently tracing little paths of admiration over Wally's muscled physique with her fingers. Curled up into his side, she lay with one leg tangled with his and listened to his breathing. Longing – a deep, desperate ache suddenly filled her heart as she looked at him. A longing she could not reconcile because it should have been sated now of all times, with him so close, arms enveloping her, her head on his shoulder. She realized that she wanted more, though unable to entirely define that word. More of him, more of them, more of her life in this house, this life, this love, more... Like an addict, she would never get enough and so she gazed at him in wonder at his beauty in the light of the summer moon.

Softly she smiled at the thought of what he would think of all the 'girly' things swirling around in her head about him right now. He'd probably deny that he was the most beautiful thing in existence, insisting that she should only use a word like 'handsome' to refer to him. Handsome? By all means. But that word just did not have the scope, the depth that she needed. Wally, in spite himself was utterly beautiful. She truly regretted the fight they'd had earlier, but even in that fight he'd shown glimpses of his beautiful, loving soul. She recalled with moist eyes the way he'd cried looking at their wedding photo, the way his injured hand had protected her instinctively from impact with the wall despite the pain it had brought him. The look on his face when he'd kissed her, it was all beauty that while he'd never admit to possessing it, she savored every minuscule glimpse of it.

At length, when she could not bear the silence any more, she whispered his name hoping that she was correct in the belief that he was only lightly snoozing. She felt her heart stop when the moonbeams struck the emerald of his eyes and lit them with a glorious fire. Again, beautiful. His hand brushed her arm as the fingers of her one hand still caressed and traced his skin, and his arm tightened around her when she spoke. His lids slid upward and he smiled down at her waiting to hear why she'd interrupted his peaceful repose. She was right, he'd not been sleeping, just restfully enjoying the peace that being intertwined with her had brought him. There was nothing more soothing to him than holding his wife close, blending themselves together until there was no longer a line of demarcation to distinguish them as two different people. A complete oneness of body, mind, and soul was medicinal to him like nothing else ever could be. She was his elixir, his fountain of youth, his strength. If he drank her in, nothing could phase him. Ever.

"Why, Wally?", she breathed making a warm little patch on his chest. He shivered at the sensation and she burrowed deeper into his side, stretching her arm out across his body and winding her fingers in his hair. The heat of her skin pressed against his was intoxicating, but he had heard her ask a question. He battled with his senses and formed a quizzical reply.

"Why what, Kooks?"

"Why did you choose me? I mean when I think of the that girl today, it's clear that you could have had anyone you wanted. You could have chosen much more voluptuous woman, someone gorgeous and curvy like her. Why didn't you?", she was not asking the question to put him on the spot, or for any other malicious reason. It was something she really did want to know. He wound a strand of her hair around his finger, collected his thoughts, and answered simply. Somehow this was a question even Wally Beatles could settle, though he was not very good with words.

"Because you are the reason I was born. You are the only woman I have ever loved, or wanted. You are the most beautiful and precious thing in my world. I. Love. You. No one compares to you, curves or not", he pulled her face towards him and kissed her sweetly, confirming the point to his words with his much more expressive heart.

Kuki felt a boundless joy well up in her chest as she replaced her head on her husband's breast bone. She pressed her ear to him to hear his heartbeat, and once more she softly spoke to him in the warm summer air that filled their bedroom. She felt utterly content. Bliss was the first word that came to her mind.

"Well – I don't know", she smiled as she felt him lean to try and sit up. He had to convince her that she was everything he wanted somehow. Gently she pressed him back into the pillows and continued with a girlishly mischievous grin.

"Maybe I do need a bit more in the way of curves... after all the girl on the beach had _everyone's _attentions. Maybe if I just-"

"That's it, I can't take anymore! Kooks, you don't need to change anything about yourself. Nothing. You're perfect the way you are. I don't want you to look like her or anyone else except _my_ Kuki. Please believe me Kooks! Please?", she grinned up at him with a glint in her eye, and kissed his nose as though he were a petulant child.

"Well – what would you say to just one change? Just one thing different about me?", she asked him and nearly burst out laughing at the expression of frustration and guilt on his adorable, childlike face.

"I said, I don't want you to change a thing! I really mean that Kuki. You are just right, right now. No way could you improve on perfection, so don't try. I swear I'll never even look at another girl if you'd just-", she cut him off and took his hand in hers.

"Don't make promises like that, Wally. You know you'll look. It's how you look and what you do when they look back that matters. Besides, I don't think the new curve I'm talking about will bother you after you get used to it", she waited for him to reply.

"Kuki Beatles, if you don't stop this and explain to me what you're talking about I don't know what I'll do I - "

"Calm down silly! What if I was to get some new curves right about here?" she queried and silently laid his hand with her own on her abdomen below her naval.

"What are you - ?", then it clicked. "Really Kuki? You mean you, I mean we, I mean really?"

"Yep. I think you'll have enough time to get used to my new curves after all 28 more weeks is a long time, isn't it?", she was deliberately giving him time to process and when he did, the shriek was heard all over town. She laughed until the tears flowed at the sight of him jumping and dancing around the room yelling, and grinning three miles wide. She did stop laughing and shush him when he was struck with the brilliant idea to open the other windows and pressing his head into the screen in each one in turn, shout to all that were within the range of his deep joyful voice.

It seems that Wallabee Beatles was about to be a father. The neighbors were thrilled, that is once they'd forgiven him for disturbing their nights sleep.


End file.
